Brumbies hope to keep Lealiifano despite signing Japan contract

The ACT Brumbies are hopeful of striking a deal to keep Christian Lealiifano in Super Rugby next season, despite the co-captain signing a contract to play in Japan at the end of the year.

Lealiifano will join the Toyota Jido Shokki at the end of the Brumbies' campaign, but it's understood the ACT side and Rugby Australia are keen to finalise a dual contract to allow him to play in Japan and Australia.

Rising above: Christian Lealiifano is set to juggle Super Rugby and Japanese duties at the end of the year.Credit:Sitthixay Ditthavong

Lealiifano was set to make his debut in Japan two years ago. But blood tests before flying out led to him being diagnosed with leukaemia and ruled him out of linking with Suntory.

He will get the opportunity to test himself in the Top League when the Brumbies' season finishes in July and is expected to return to Canberra in December.

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The Brumbies have been monitoring his work load in his comeback season this year and the club is understood to offer him a new contract for at least one year.

Lealiifano signed a temporary deal to play for Ulster in Ireland at the end of last year, but playing in Japan will give him a chance to be closer to home and return to Brumbies training earlier.

Brumbies coach Dan McKellar is working to build his roster for the 2019 campaign and is searching for another playmaker to add to the squad to work with Lealiifano and Wharenui Hawera.

Out-of-favour Wallabies and Queensland Reds flyhalf Quade Cooper says he doesn't want to leave Brisbane, but it's believed the door hasn't completely closed on attempting to lure him to the capital.

The Brumbies are grooming young gun Mack Hansen, who has scored two tries in Australia's under-20s World Cup campaign, but McKellar is looking for an experienced player to replace Ireland-bound Kyle Godwin.

The three-week Super Rugby break will give McKellar a chance to reassess his first year in charge and plan for the future, but he hasn't given up hope of making an impact before this year ends.

The Brumbies moved to 11th on the overall rankings when they scored a bonus-point win against the Japan Sunwolves last weekend.

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They are 10 points behind Australian conference leaders the NSW Waratahs and nine points behind the eighth-placed Melbourne Rebels with just three games left in the regular season.

The Brumbies are mathematically still alive in the finals race, but have to win games against the Wellington Hurricanes, the Waikato Chiefs and NSW Waratahs when Super Rugby resumes to be any chance.

"If we beat the Hurricanes then we're still a chance. Then you've got to beat the Chiefs and see what happens," McKellar said.

"We'll focus on having a bit of a break now and going over to Japan for an [exhibition] game against Suntory.

"Then we'll focus on the Hurricanes. I think mathematically we're still a chance [of playing finals]. But we've got our own little three-game finals series coming up so we'll worry about [the Hurricanes] first."

The Brumbies had one of their better games against the Sunwolves, scoring seven tries and showing some good signs in attack, with the two wingers and fullback running for a combined 363 metres.

It's the type of game style the Brumbies have been trying to implement this year, but they have been plagued by errors and inconsistent performances.

"What our games gives us is some space for our edge guys. When they get the footy they're doing some good things," Lealiifano said.

"So you want to get them the footy to give them more opportunities like that. To see those boys in full flight down edges is what you want."

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Lealiifano has shifted back to flyhalf and is forming a solid combination with Kyle Godwin, but conceded the side's goal-kicking needs to improve.

The Brumbies converted just three of seven tries against the Sunwolves and the team has one of the worst goal-kicking percentages in Super Rugby.

"It's something we're trying to constantly work on. It's disappointing to not knock a few more over and give us a bit more of a comfortable lead," Lealiifano said.